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Community Corner

Task Force Considers the Future of Libraries

Understanding how libraries will be used in the future is critical to planning building enhancements that will meet the needs of local residents.

The met June 9 to further discuss how the Hellertown Area Public Library could be renovated and enhanced, if Lower Saucon Township ultimately decides to transfer its financial support from the Bethlehem Area Public Libary. The committee is concerned about the changing role libraries face in today’s economy, as well as what role technology is playing in altering how the public space are being used.

The meeting began with the viewing of a short video called “What Is a Library? What Do Librarians Do?” that was filmed at the Australian Library and Information Association’s (ALIA) breakfast with librarians in February 2011. Another resource shared with task force members was copies of Seth Godin’s The Future of the Library, which stresses the point that libraries are no longer warehouses for "dead" books and the printed word, but shared community spaces whose mission is to make knowledge available in whatever format is needed. Understanding that this is the direction in which use of the library is headed is critical to planning building enhancements that will meet the needs of local residents, task force members were told.

Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan announced that he is beginning work on a “library technology wish list” that will address issues such as available computer terminals as well as e-book and audiobook availability.

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Task Force Chair Kimberly LaBrake, of MKSD Architects, explained how developments in the use of the library are influencing the current tentative building plans being explored.

"The existing library is just over 1,200 square feet," she said, before discussing an early stage plan to expand the building.

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"We added a computer room (at) about 400 square feet--not a large space, but enough for about a classroom size--a seminar size room, not a full classroom," she explained. "

LaBrake also discussed the potential addition of a small conference room, a small area for CD and DVD rentals, a cafe counter and a 240 square foot "team collaboration area" to the library building.

She emphasized that the increase in the size of the building to roughly 3,000 square feet "is just an estimate" and said "that number will obviously change based on the computer room, etc."

With an expansion of the library building, changes to the area outside it will be necessary, particularly with regard to parking.

In Hellertown, zoning requires one parking space for every 400 square feet of interior space, LaBrake explained.

"We basically need to double the lot space and put it somewhere else," she said. "It's sort of a moving puzzle at this point, but at least there is something to start with."

LaBrake also mentioned the idea of creating an outdoor reading area for library patrons.

Committee member and Hellertown Borough Financial Administrator Tina Krasnansky went on to address concerns about how Lower Saucon merging with the Hellertown library might affect the level of aid received from the state.

"State aid is based on a formula and under (former) Governor Rendell the state legislature decided to forgo that and decided to pay a part of what was paid the year before," she explained. "So in 2010 they received 20 percent less than the year before, and in 2011 they lost 21 percent, so in two years they have lost 41 percent of the funding. Because they are not using the formula which pulls in info. like population, district, etc., in this world of economics the funding will not change no matter what, as of now.”

Alan Johnson, a member of the public who attended the meeting, voiced some of his own concerns about the future of libraries and whether or not increasing the size of the Hellertown library is necessary.

"It occurred to me that in the future more and more books will be electronic, so there won’t be as much need for a space in the library to store books, so they might just end up reallocating the insides of the library to accommodate whatever function that will be," Johnson said.

"Also, 'cloud computing' (will change the function of libraries)," he continued. "The books people read will be stored on the Internet, (so) what people would use the library for is when people don't have e-readers or iPads. That would change the whole thing--thinking about the library, parking, all that stuff.”

Johnson's comments led task force members to discuss the increasing prevalence of e-books, and how they are affecting the traditional publishing of books and other reading material.

LaBrake responded that the building plan presented earlier at the meeting "has more to do with community space rather than book space."

The plan reflects "a balance of how the space is being used, how the space would like to be used, and how it will be used in the future," she added.

An email from a concerned citizen that was read at the meeting also provoked discussion among task force members.

"I'm a Lower Saucon resident for more than 10 years and I use the Bethlehem library on a regular basis and I would prefer to keep using it," the resident wrote. "I've looked at the Hellertown library and the offerings are few. The website is amateurish and I don't want my tax money going towards a library that residents aren’t really able to use."

Members of the committee said they are pleased that residents are emailing their thoughts about the possible library services merger to them, because they want to address issues such as those mentioned in this email.

Hellertown Library Director Robin Rotherham did counter some of the arguments made by the writer of the email, however.

"The (library's) catalogue is online and has been for about two weeks, so books can now be renewed online," she said.

She also mentioned that the Hellertown library's website is currently being redesigned, and said library staff expect to be able to unveil the new and improved website by mid-July.

"We’re not trying to force residents into the current library, but aiming to increase the services available to match the Bethlehem library," Cahalan said.

The money Lower Saucon Township annually contributes to the Bethlehem Area Public Library would be used to fund many of the planned improvements to the Hellertown library, which could mean that taxpayers won’t see an increase in what they pay, but rather a decrease, it was also explained.

Area residents who have questions, comments or concerns about the future of library services in the Saucon Valley are encouraged to email the task force or attend future meetings.

Residents who wish to register their comments electronically may do so by emailing them to readabook@hellertownlibrary.org or info@lowersaucontownship.org.

The next Saucon Valley Library Task Force meeting will be held July 14 at 5pm in Lower Saucon Town Hall.

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